Friday evening I had an appointment to show property in Belmont, CA. Since it was a Friday evening, I invited my husband to be my driver, so we could enjoy a "date night" afterward at a Peninsula restaurant that he especially enjoys, The Fish Market in San Mateo.

Sometimes plans change due to circumstances, and change ours did. The traffic mid-Peninsula was so outrageous at 7:00 PM, we couldn't drive to our restaurant of choice, did a U-turn and headed back up the hill to Interstate-280 to return us to San Francisco.

Instead of bemoaning our fate, we stopped at the Old Clam House in San Francisco, located in the industrial area of the city just north of Candlestick Point, and had our second dinner there.

What a fun, down-to-earth place, full of character! The walls are packed with old-San Francisco photos and posters, wall art of sailing ships, an anchor, etc. It has been in operation since 1861 and still packs people in for dinners.

Upon being seated the staff brings one a jigger of hot clam juice (think clam broth) along with the menu. Both times I have eaten here I've ordered their clam chowder, one of the very best Boston-style I've had, full of chunks of clams in every spoonful, with a few potatoes in the mix and seasoned just right; delicious! And do try their "kettle bread" - some of the best sour dough ever.

You can read their story below:

When you're ready for a visit:

The Old Clam House, 299 Bayshore Boulevard, San Francisco. Open for lunch and dinner 7 days of the week. Reservations for larger parties recommended, as well as checking for holiday hours.

Good morning Lottie. Things happen and plans do change. What a lucky find this was. Looks great to me.

Posted by Sheila Anderson, The Real Estate Whisperer Who Listens 732-715-1133 (Referral Group Incorporated) over 1 year ago

The atmosphere at that restaurant looks great and I am sure they have good food! I am glad you and your husband enjoyed such a nice meal together, even though you didn't end up at your original restaurant of choice.

Now, that's a restaurant I would enjoy, Lottie, and I wish my husband and I had time on our next trip into The City to go there. I finally got tired to trying to choose a Friday night restaurant so settled on Saison. I guess there are worst choices, LOL.

I will have to google this to see exactly where it is in The City. I think specialty restaurants, even if they cater to tourists with all the kitsch, are generally pretty good. Take the Spaghetti Factory, for example. They don't do a bad pasta but they get a bad rep because they're not "cool."

Posted by Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Real Estate Agent, Top 1% of Lyon Agents, Put 40 years of experience to work for you (Lyon Real Estate) over 1 year ago

Hi Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Real Estate Agent, Top 1% of Lyon Agents - I suspect you'll enjoy Saison-it has a good reputation. The Old Clam House probably hasn't seen a tourist unless accompanied by a local; the location isn't on tourist maps!

When I lived in SF in 1970-71 I enjoyed the Spaghetti Factory in North Beach - no longer there